While driving my Clarity PHEV today I was thinking about how the car uses AI to determine which of its several drive modes to use to achieve maximum efficiency based upon the current circumstances. In case you don't know, Clarity (like the late lamented Chevy Volt) is a serial hybrid: The primary drive is an electric motor and a small ICE serves as a generator and can be clutched into the system to provide extra torque when necessary. So the car can run as an BEV, as a generator-powered EV and as an ICE/EV hybrid: Driving down the interstate it seamlessly selects different modes depending upon the driving conditions.
This set me wondering about the 3WD Aptera: Will it, too, switch between drive modes to select the most efficient at the moment? Will its AI select FWD, RWD or 3WD as it deems necessary or will it be full-time 3WD - or will it be FWD with driver-selected 3WD?
I believe it will intelligently utilize different motors in different situations to optimize efficiency and bring in all three when wheel slip occurs. My guess would be front wheel drive by default except for torque vectoring and stability/traction situations.
Who knows maybe just RWD default is more efficient.
Excellent question